Orthopedic Implant In The Form Of A Plate To Be Fixed Between Two Bone Parts

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a plate fixed between two bone parts by way of screws engaged in holes formed in the thickness of said plate. The plate comprises an angled member or rib which is inclined according to an angle of between about 30° and 60° in relation to the plane defined by the plate. The angled member or rib has a hole for engaging a screw and is located in the central part of the width, over a determined part of the length of the plate, so that the screw brings the two bone parts into a compressive position.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.16/429,834, filed Jun. 3, 2019, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 15/130,147, filed Apr. 15, 2016, now U.S. Pat. No.10,349,988 which is a continuation of United States application Ser. No.14/734,676, filed Jun. 9, 2015 and now U.S. Pat. No. 9,333,013, which isa continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/041,706, filed Sep. 30,2013 and now U.S. Pat. No. 9,078,713, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 12/918,071, filed Oct. 29, 2010 and now U.S. Pat.No. 8,556,946, which is a national phase entry under 35 U.S.C. § 371 ofInternational Application No. PCT/FR2009/051879, filed Oct. 2, 2009,published in French, which claims priority from French PatentApplication No. 0856694, filed Oct. 2, 2008, all of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the technical field of orthopedic implants.

More particularly, the invention relates to a plate for arthrodesis orosteosynthesis adapted to be fixed between two bone parts.

In a manner known to one having ordinary skill in the art, this type ofplate generally has holes for engaging screws, allowing arthrodesisbetween two bones or osteosynthesis between two bone fragments. This is,for example, the case for bones of the hand or foot, without howeverexcluding other applications, particularly in the field of the spine.Depending on the pathology to be treated, these plates can have ageneral rectilinear or other geometric shapes.

From this state of the art, one of the objects the invention proposes toattain is to improve, in a sure and efficient manner, compression in aprecise direction between the bone parts subjected to the plate.

To attain the given object to enhance the compression between the tworelative bone parts, according to the invention, the plate has aformation that orients at least one screw at an angle with respect to aplane defined by the plate, the angle being between about 30° and 60°.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the formation is a tab that isangled according to an angle between 30° and 60°, and having a hole forengaging the screw. The angled tab results from a cut out and adeformation of a portion of the plate.

In another embodiment, the formation is a hole angled at an anglebetween 30° and 60° for engaging the screw.

Considering the problem to be solved, the formation is located on adetermined portion of the length of the plate so that the screw ensuresthe compression of the two bone parts.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is described hereinafter in more detail, with reference tothe attached drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the plate;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the plate;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views showing the mounting of the platebetween two bone parts and their orientation by means of the plateaccording to the invention, the bone parts being shown schematically.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

According to the invention, the plate 1 has at least one formation 1 aadapted to enable the positioning of at least one screw 2, at an angle aof between 30° and 60° with respect to a plane of the plate (FIG. 2 ).

In one embodiment, the formation 1 a is an angled tab cut out anddeformed from the plate. For example, the deformation is made with acutting-punching operation. This angled tab has a hole 1 a 1 for screw2. The angled tab 1 a is positioned along the length of the plate sothat after the screw 2 is fitted to it, the screw ensures thecompression together of the two bone parts, as indicated below in thedescription.

In another embodiment, to allow for an angular orientation of the screw2 according to an angle between about 30° and 60°, the formation 1 a canbe formed as an angled hole. It must be noted that the tab 1 a enablesadaptation of the angle as a function of the pathology to be treated,given that it is possible to deform this tab at will. In other words,the angle can be adjusted over a few degrees directly by the surgeon inthe operating room, using an appropriate tool.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 that show the positioning of the plate 1between two bone parts O1 and O2:

Once the osteotomies have been carried out, a template of the plate,which does not have a guide formation, enables the position of the tabto be determined.

After determining the position of the tab, the surgeon makes acorresponding recess with the appropriate rasp.

Once the plate having the tab has been positioned, the surgeon sets oneor two screws 3, on a side of the site of the osteosynthesis or thearthrodesis toward the tab. A temporary fastening pin can, possibly, bepositioned in a complementary lug.

The screw 2 is then engaged in the hole 1 a 1 of the tab 1 a to placethe fracture in compression.

Once the compression has been done, the surgeon can screw one or severalother additional fastening screws 3 and remove the temporary pin.

In a known manner, this plate 1 has smooth and/or threaded holes for thefastening screws 3 set in the bone parts O1 and O2 to engage in, asshown in FIGS. 3 and 4 .

Similarly, the plate 1 can have at least one hole 1 c for a pin fortemporarily positioning the plate 1. Advantageously, the plate 1 canhave a guide 1 c for the insertion of a pin on the side of one of thebone parts O1 and another guide 1 d for the insertion of another pin onthe side of the other bone part O2.

Considering the effect of the desired compression, such as indicatedabove, the guide 1 c is a circular hole whose diameter correspondssubstantially to that of the pin, whereas the other guide 1 d can be anelongated slot.

These provisions thus enable the bone to slide under the plate 1 as thescrews are set, while ensuring compression along a precise direction,generally axially or parallel to the plate. The pins are of any knownand appropriate type, and perfectly known to one having ordinary skillin the art.

The plate 1 can have several shapes, so that the holes 1 a in particularcan be aligned or arrayed, all or in part, according to the corners of atriangle or of a quadrilateral. These provisions, in triangle or inquadrilateral, of the screws, improve the stability of the mounting.

It must be noted also that the plate 1, no matter its shape, can belongitudinally bent so as to adapt to the curvature of the bone,consequently enabling the screws to form an angle between them.

The advantages are readily apparent from the description.

1. A system for fusing first and second bone parts, the systemcomprising: a monolithic bone plate, a first fixation member, a secondfixation member, a third fixation member, and a temporary fixationmember, the bone plate comprising: a length extending from a first edgeof the bone plate to a second edge of the bone plate along alongitudinal axis, the length being sufficient to span a bone fractureor a bone joint such that the bone plate is positionable alongside firstand second bone parts straddling the fracture or joint; a first surfaceand an opposite second surface, the second surface defining a bonefacing surface extending from the first edge to the second edge; a firsthole extending through the bone plate and configured to align with thefirst bone part, the first hole having a first width configured toreceive the first fixation member; a second hole extending through thebone plate and configured to align with the second bone part, the secondhole having a second width configured to receive the second fixationmember; a third hole extending through the bone plate, the third holebeing angled relative to the longitudinal axis and having a third widthconfigured to receive the third fixation member having a screw head suchthat the third fixation member is positioned to extend through the thirdhole and cross the fracture or joint, the third hole being configured toallow the entire screw head of the third fixation member to be seatedbelow the first surface of the bone plate, and a fourth hole extendingthrough the bone plate, the fourth hole having a fourth width configuredto receive the temporary fixation member, the fourth width being lessthan the first, second or third widths, wherein the first hole, thethird hole and the fourth hole are linearly aligned with respect to thelongitudinal axis.
 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the first hole, thethird hole and the fourth hole lie on the longitudinal axis.
 3. Thesystem of claim 1, wherein the second hole lies on the longitudinalaxis.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the third hole is locatedbetween the first and second holes.
 5. The system of claim 1, whereinthe first hole is adjacent the first edge and the second hole isadjacent the second edge, the third hole being located between the firsthole and the second edge.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the fourthhole is located between the first hole and the third hole.
 7. The systemof claim 1, wherein the fourth hole is located between the third holeand the second edge.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the bone plateincludes a fifth hole extending through the bone plate, the fifth holehaving a fifth width configured to receive a second temporary fixationmember, the fifth width being less than the first, second or thirdwidths.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the temporary fixation memberis a guide pin.
 10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and secondholes are locking holes.
 11. A system for fusing first and second boneparts, the system comprising: a monolithic bone plate, a first fixationmember, a second fixation member, a third fixation member, and atemporary fixation member, the bone plate comprising: a length extendingfrom a first edge of the bone plate to a second edge of the bone platealong a longitudinal axis, the length being sufficient to span a bonefracture or a bone joint such that the bone plate is positionablealongside first and second bone parts straddling the fracture or joint;a first surface and an opposite second surface, the second surfacedefining a bone facing surface extending from the first edge to thesecond edge; a first hole extending through the bone plate andconfigured to align with the first bone part, the first hole having afirst width configured to receive the first fixation member; a secondhold extending through the bone plate and configured to align with thesecond bone part, the second hole having a second width configured toreceive the second fixation member; a third hole extending through thebone plate, the third hole being angled relative to the longitudinalaxis and having a third width configured to receive the third fixationmember having a screw head such that the third fixation member ispositioned to extend through the third hole and cross the fracture orjoint, the third hole being configured to allow the entire screw head ofthe third fixation member to be seated below the first surface of thebone plate, and an elongated hole extending through the bone plate, theelongated hole having a fourth width and a hole length configured toreceive the temporary fixation member and allow the temporary fixationmember to translate therewithin, the fourth width being less than thefirst, second or third widths, wherein the first hole and the elongatedhole are linearly aligned with respect to the longitudinal axis.
 12. Thesystem of claim 11, wherein the first hole and the elongated hole lie onthe longitudinal axis.
 13. The system of claim 11, wherein the holelength is greater than the fourth width.
 14. The system of claim 11,wherein the third hole is located between the first and second holes.15. The system of claim 14, wherein the first hole is adjacent the firstedge and the second hole is adjacent the second edge.
 16. The system ofclaim 15, wherein the elongated hole is located between the second holeand the third hole.
 17. A system for fusing first and second bone parts,the system comprising: a monolithic bone plate, a first fixation member,a second fixation member, a third fixation member, and a temporaryfixation member, the bone plate comprising: a length extending from afirst edge of the bone plate to a second edge of the bone plate along alongitudinal axis, the length being sufficient to span a bone fractureor a bone joint such that the bone plate is positionable alongside firstand second bone parts straddling the fracture or joint, a first surfaceand an opposite second surface, the second surface defining a bonecontacting surface extending from the first edge to the second edge, afirst hole extending through the bone plate and configured to align withthe first bone part, the first hole having a first width configured toreceive the first fixation member, a second hold extending through thebone plate and configured to align with the second bone part, the secondhole having a second width configured to receive the second fixationmember, a third hole extending through the bone plate, the third holebeing angled relative to the longitudinal axis and having a third widthconfigured to receive the third fixation member having a screw head suchthat the third fixation member is positioned to extend through the thirdhole and cross the fracture or joint, the third hole being configured toallow the entire screw head of the third fixation member to be seatedbelow the first surface of the bone plate, and a fourth hole extendingthrough the bone plate, the fourth hole having a fourth width configuredto receive the temporary fixation member, the fourth width being lessthan the first, second or third widths, wherein the first hole, thesecond hole, and the fourth hole are linearly aligned with respect tothe longitudinal axis.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the firsthole, the second hole, and the fourth hole lie on the longitudinal axis.19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first hole is adjacent the firstedge and the second hole is adjacent the second edge.
 20. The system ofclaim 19, wherein the fourth hole is located between the first hole andthe third hole.
 21. The system of claim 17, wherein the third hole lieson the longitudinal axis.